New King James Version
Isaiah 66:3
3“He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,
Isaiah 66:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
- New International Version (NIV)But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
- English Standard Version (ESV)"He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig's blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;
- New Living Translation (NLT)But those who choose their own ways— delighting in their detestable sins— will not have their offerings accepted. When such people sacrifice a bull, it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice. When they sacrifice a lamb, it’s as though they had sacrificed a dog! When they bring an offering of grain, they might as well offer the blood of a pig. When they burn frankincense, it’s as if they had blessed an idol.
Context of Isaiah 66:3
1Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, 4So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” 5Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.”
Read all of Isaiah 66Isaiah 66:3 word by word
שׁוֹחֵ֨ט הַשּׁ֜וֹר מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זוֹבֵ֤חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ עֹ֣רֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַעֲלֵ֤ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He that killethשָׁחַטshâchaţ · to slaughterH7819
- an oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- he slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- he that sacrificethזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- a lambשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
- he cut offעָרַף‛âraph · to break the neckH6202
- a dog’sכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
- he that offerethעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- an oblationמִנְחָהminchâh · offeringH4503
- swine’sחֲזִירchăzîyr · swineH2386
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- he that burnethזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- incenseלְבֹנָהlebônâh lebônâh · frankincenseH3828
- he blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- an idolאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
- Yea, they have chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- their own waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- and their soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- delightethחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
- in their abominationsשִׁקּוּץshiqqûts shiqqûts · abominationH8251
Cross-references for Isaiah 66:3
- Isaiah 1:11“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
- Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
- Amos 5:21“I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
- Deuteronomy 23:18You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
- Isaiah 66:17“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
- Isaiah 65:3A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick;
- Deuteronomy 14:8Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.
- Leviticus 2:2He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.
- Isaiah 65:12Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
- Judges 5:8They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
- Judges 10:14“Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 66:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man "He that slayeth an ox killeth a man" - These are instances of wickedness joined with hypocrisy; of the most flagitious crimes committed by those who at the same time affected great strictness in the performance of all the external services of religion. God, by the Prophet Ezekiel, upbraids the Jews with the same practices: "When they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man - Lowth and Noyes render this, He that slayeth an ox, killeth a man.‘ This is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Jerome renders it, He who sacrifices an ox is as if (quasi) he slew a man.‘ The Septuagint, in a very free translation - such as is common in their version of Isaiah - render it, The wicked man who sacrifices a calf, is as he who kills a dog; and he who offers to me fine flour, it is as the blood…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3delighted in their abominations: This refers to pagan worship practices. slaughters an ox … blesses an idol: Some wicked people offered sacrifices as the law of Moses required. But they continued to sin and worship idols. Because of this, their sacrifices were no better than pagan offerings in God’s sight (see Isaiah 1:11–17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (Is 1:11; Pr 15:8; 28:9). is as if--Lowth not so well omits these words: "He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man" (as in Eze 23:39). But the omission in the Hebrew of "is as if"--increases the force of the comparison. Human victims were often offered by the heathen. dog's neck--an abomination according to the Jewish law (De 23:18); perhaps made so, because dogs were venerated in Egypt. He…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 66:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 66
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries